I visited Nickerson Beach the other day. There were 50 to 100 American Oystercatchers on the beach. That's the most I've seen since Hurricane Sandy knocked there numbers down about 10 years ago. Early summer I observed the number up and apparently this has been a good breeding season. On that earlier visit, the number of turns was down dramatically and instead of thousands of common terns, there were a few hundred. Apparently they had a great breading season as well and there were thousands of them surrounding the very large tidal pools left by Hurricane Erin. There were also about one thousand black skimmers with there young and that's the usual number. Here are some photos of the American Oystercatchers.
Comments and suggestions welcome,
Morris
1) Some of the American Oystercatchers
X-H2SXF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens500mmf/5.61/3500s400 ISO0.0 EV
2) This one at the ocean's edge
X-H2SXF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens500mmf/5.61/4000s800 ISO+0.3 EV
3) Drinking from a tidal pool
X-H2SXF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens500mmf/5.61/4400s800 ISO-0.3 EV
4)
X-H2SXF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens500mmf/5.61/7000s800 ISO-1.0 EV
5) Before the wind came up the tidal pool was like a mirror
X-H2SXF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens500mmf/5.61/4400s800 ISO+0.3 EV
